The suspension of a Panchayat Development Officer in Karnataka for participating in an RSS Path Sanchalan has sparked a fresh political storm, with BJP MP Tejasvi Surya vowing to challenge the Siddaramaiah government’s decision in court.
Surya, the MP from Bengaluru South, said he had personally spoken to the suspended officer, Praveen Kumar K.P., and assured him of full legal support.
Taking to X, Surya said,I will personally appear before the tribunal and courts to challenge this illegal and unlawful suspension. There are multiple judgements from High Courts upholding government servants’ right to attend RSS programmes. If the Siddaramaiah government wants a legal battle, we will give it one.”
The suspension that triggered controversy
Praveen Kumar, posted in Sirwar taluk of Raichur district, was suspended on October 12 by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department. His alleged offence: taking part in an RSS centenary march in Lingsugur, dressed in the organisation’s khaki uniform and carrying a lathi.
The suspension order, signed by IAS officer Arundhati Chandrashekar, invoked Rule 3 of the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021, which requires government officials to maintain political neutrality and avoid conduct unbecoming of a public servant. Kumar will remain under suspension with subsistence allowance until the departmental inquiry concludes.
RSS vs Congress faultline deepens
This action comes in the backdrop of mounting tension between the Congress government in Karnataka and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Just days earlier, Minister Priyank Kharge—son of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge—had urged the Chief Minister to ban RSS activities in government premises and crack down on officials associated with the organisation.
While Kharge has maintained that the move was not driven by “religion” but by “disciplinary norms,” BJP leaders have dismissed the claim, accusing the government of using service rules as a political weapon.
“This is nothing but intolerance towards Hindu organisations,” a BJP functionary from Bengaluru told reporters. “The same government looks away when officials attend programmes of minority groups, but suspends someone for attending an RSS march.”
